‘Just because India didn’t win…’: Ex-AUS captain passes verdict on Rohit Sharma's captaincy after WTC final
Rohit Sharma's future as captain will largely depend on the performance of Team India at the 2023 World Cup.
A lot was expected from Rohit Sharma when the veteran Indian opener succeeded Virat Kohli as the all-format captain of Team India. Though Rohit enjoyed success as captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the senior batter has struggled to replicate his Mumbai Indians (MI) leadership approach for the Asian giants in the international arena. Under Rohit's leadership, India suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of eventual champions England in the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup.
Rohit's Team India was also outplayed by Australia in the final of the World Test Championship. Pat Cummins and Co. crushed Rohit's men by 209 runs to win their maiden WTC title at the Oval. Australia's resounding win also extended the trophyless run of the Asian giants in ICC events. India last won an ICC trophy in 2013 when MS Dhoni was at the helm. With India already grooming candidates for the captaincy role, Rohit's future as captain will largely depend on the performance of the Men In Blue at the 2023 World Cup.
Speaking to RevSportz after India's defeat to Australia in the WTC final, former Australian skipper Michael Clarke urged the Indian think-tank to show faith in Rohit. “I would be keeping the faith with Rohit. I think he is a very good captain. I like his aggressive approach, he looks to be as positive as he can be. He has had a lot of success as a leader. Look at his IPL record for Mumbai (Indians). Just because India didn’t win the Test World Championship doesn’t mean Rohit is not the right guy to lead India. The fact that India qualified again, they are the only team to make consecutive finals, says a lot about how they have played their Test cricket over the past four years. It is also a very important time for stability with the One-Day World Cup right around the corner,” Clarke said.
Talking more about Rohit's leadership, the 2015 World Cup-winning captain pointed out that India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by defeating Austalia at home. The former Aussie cricketer also highlighted Rohit's contribution as a premier batter while leading the Men In Blue across all formats. "He has done well as a batter as well. Think of his hundred in the last series. Losing a one-off final doesn't make him a bad captain and nor does it make India a bad team. To make consecutive finals isn't easy. What it means is that India was the only team to play consistently well over a period of four years. To do so in Test cricket is commendable and I would urge you to look at that as well before making any kind of judgment call," Clarke added.
